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'He says survival isn't something to celebrate'

Sunderland are safe but their manager Roy Keane claims that the
past week has been his worst in management.

The malaise was sparked by a defeat at Bolton but what better
way to lift Keane's spirits than a win over the club that he
enjoyed one of the most entertaining rivalries with in his playing
days?

Arsenal travel to the Stadium of Light assured of third-spot in
the table and in the knowledge that the Black Cats are yet to take
a point off any of the top five sides in the Premier League. Be
warned, though, they are well worth their spot in the top tier next
season.

Before the game we spoke with Ian Laws of the Sunderland Echo
for his view on the progress made in the North-East, the effect of
injuries, Sunderland's financial clout, and why a central
defender playing at left-back is their Player of the Season.

THE STORY SO FAR
"It is job well done. Roy Keane, though, is never satisfied
and he has said to us that he doesn't see this as something to
celebrate. He thinks a club like Sunderland should be looking
higher than that and looking for better than that but the fact they
have maintained Premier League status is very welcome given the
terrible seasons they have had the last two times they were in
there - 19 points and 15 points knocks the stuffing out of a club
and its fans. To stay in the Premier League among the Arsenals,
Manchester Uniteds, Chelseas and Liverpools is a good thing for
everybody.

"They have dipped into the bottom three a few times, and
you do start to wonder. The injuries they suffered, I know a lot of
struggling teams do look at that as an excuse, but Sunderland have
suffered. They had players needing operations and spending three
and four months on the sidelines. I think the fact they were in
with a shout of staying up was a bonus and for them to do it with a
couple of games to spare is a great testament to them. They went
through an important stage when they got three wins on the trot in
February and March. That did a lot for their prospects. There have
been a lot of games where they should have got draws and managed to
turn them into defeats which must have been frustrating. They
haven't shown that ability to grind something out from a
not-so-great performance. Keane has reflected on that a few times
this season.

"Next season I think that mid-table is a realistic aim.
Keane has made his target to be competitive among the pack in the
middle. You know the West Hams, Blackburns, Man Citys."

NEW FACES
"Their season turned quite significantly in January, as it did
the season before, in that they strengthened the defence. They
bought in Phil Bardsley from Manchester United on a permanent deal
and then Jonny Evans on loan. Both have played a key role. Craig
Gordon, the goalkeeper, has grown in stature after spending a lot
of money on him. He is now a solid and reliable player. Andy Reid
brought in a bit more flair and passing quality. It appears that
they have more money than perhaps other clubs have had."

PLAYER OF THE SEASON?
"I agree with the supporters association who made Danny
Collins the Player of the Season. He plays at left-back. There was
a hell of a lot of pressure on Danny this season because the club
were in the market for that position, which is not his natural
place; he is a centre-back. Playing out of position he has done
really well. He has made mistakes, like most players, but he has
been a solid player for the club. He has got his head up after
disappointments and done really well. Kenwyne Jones has come in and
made a great impact. He has not scored as many goals as he, Keane
or the fans would have liked, seven, but he has been a real tower
of strength when he has played. They have relied on him a lot when
they play one up front, particularly away from home, and he has
taken a lot of punishment from defenders because of that."

SADLY MISSED
"Kieran Richardson has obviously been at a big club and
experienced success at Manchester United. He came to the club but
was out quite soon into the season with a serious back injury which
meant he could do very little. He was in a spinal brace for quite
some time and that ruled him out. He came back, had a couple more
matches, showed some form, and then got a hamstring injury. So he
has not had a prolonged spell in the side and hasn't been able
to say 'I can give my best now.' Keane won't accept
excuses from anybody but Kieran hasn't had a consistent season
of fitness or form, so that has been a miss. Dean Whitehead the
captain missed three months with a knee injury. Carlos Edwards
injured a hamstring and then broke his leg a few games into his
comeback. There is a whole list of them."

CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM
"Money certainly has helped. Keane has invested more than
£40 million on new signings and a lot have been players
getting a first crack at the Premier League but some have
experience in that area so he has been able to strengthen in key
areas."

SECOND-SEASON-ITUS?
"I can answer that better when you see what the transfer
window brings. I don't think Reading, for example, were able to
make another dip in the kitty after coming up. They haven't
changed their promotion squad a whole lot. Sunderland will have
money, how much exactly will be known soon. I think financially
they are in a decent position to offer the money players want. It
is a case of whether they can pip other clubs to those signatures.
With that in mind I don't think there will be a big
wobble."

TALKING TACTICS
"Given that they secured survival, you would be surprised to
hear that Keane said this has been his most disappointing week in
management. He took last week's defeat at Bolton very, very
badly. He was hard on his players for their lacklustre performance
and will be looking for a reaction. He has said next season's
squad will be decided on the performances at the end of this
season. You will see a committed display. They have generally been
much stronger at home and have had a real go. It is a sell-out so
there will be a big crowd wanting a big send-off into the summer. I
think it will be decent game because you know Arsenal play good
football regardless whether something is hanging on it and it will
be an interesting test for Sunderland to see if they can finally
get a point of one of the top five teams because they haven't
done that yet. They have gone close and missed out only by the
single goal at Arsenal and at Man United. They have given
half-decent performances and got nothing to show for it. They will
want to change that."

Copyright 2015 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source8 May 2008

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